Integral component to disposable beverage container for inhibiting entry of insects, debris, and possible foreign chemical

ABSTRACT

An invention for the prevention of entry of flying and non-flying stinging insects into open disposable beverage containers. According to the embodiment, the invention is attached to a disposable beverage container over the normal dispensing port to act as a shield to prevent the entry of flying and non-flying insects, debris, or foreign chemicals in either tablet or encapsulated form. The invention is attached during the normal manufacturing process of the disposable beverage container. The invention will not interfere with the normal opening mechanism of the disposable beverage container. Normal manufacturing processes such as argon laser welding, adhesive, ecetra, attach the invention to the disposable beverage container. The invention is manufactured out of the same material, a dissimilar material, or both as the disposable beverage container. The invention incorporates several types of various openings of slotted, circular, elliptical, or geometrical shapes and sizes to allow for the free flow of the contained liquid. The invention will not reduce the recycling characteristics of disposable beverage container.

[0001] Applicants hereby claims priority of Provisional Patent Application S/N 60/361445 Dated Mar. 5, 2003

FIELD OF INVENTION

[0002] This invention relates to the prevention of the entry of venous (stinging) insects of the flying and non-flying variety into an open unattended beverage container by the incorporation of the invention (Drawing #1, FIG. #1) over the dispensing port of a disposable beverage container (Drawing #2, FIG. #2). This invention would be composed of various sized and shaped perforations and would be attached during the normal manufacturing process of the beverage container (Drawing #3, FIG. #3). The invention would be non-removable during the storage and normal usage of the beverage container (Drawing #4, FIG. #4).

[0003] This invention would prevent the introduction of foreign or potential harmful dry tablets or encapsulated chemical compounds into open unattended beverage containers. Additionally, this invention would prevent the inadvertent action of disposing of a cigarette butt or other unwanted debris in a still-in-use beverage container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0004] Every year hundreds of thousands of human beings are moving into rural areas of the country that were previously devoid of human presence. The introduction of humans and their unfamiliarity with hazards of rural country living has led to increasing number of individuals suffering from the involuntary ingestion of stinging insects of both the flying and non-flying variety from open unattended beverage containers. In addition, the suburban weekend cookout, the weekly round of golf, or the kids' day at the park exposes even a higher number of humans to the same hazards as those living in the country. Humans inherently attract these types of insects due to the normal usage of foodstuffs and beverages.

[0005] Yellow jackets, hornets, and wasps are drawn to the fragrances from naturally and artificially sweetened beverages, and the fermentation odor from alcoholic beverages such as beer. When these insects enter a beverage container through the container's open dispensing port, the insect's presence generally goes undetected. Once inside the beverage container, the insects are effectively trapped, yet very much still alive. The user of the beverage container will unwillingly ingest this living insect upon drinking the beverage. Upon ingestion by the human, the insect will react instinctively, which is to say, will sting the victim in an extremely sensitive portion of the human anatomy, most likely the lips, the inside of the mouth, the sides of the throat, or the gullet areas. While the stings of yellow jackets, hornets, or wasps can be quite painful and sometimes fatal when experienced on the skin of a human, this same sting in a highly sensitive area such as the lips, mouth, throat, or gullet can be severe enough to cause death through toxic shock or suffocation through swelling of the windpipe.

[0006] The history of human suffering from venous insect stings in the sensitive human anatomy such as the lips, mouth, throat, and gullet has been thoroughly documented by many universities throughout the continental United States.

[0007] Additionally, many users of beverage containers have become the unwilling recipients of chemical compounds that are introduced through the opening of the beverage container at both private and public gatherings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The present invention overcomes the highly undesirable and unfortunate event of ingestion by humans of venous (stinging) flying and non-flying insects by preventing the unwanted and undetected entry of these insects into an open unattended beverage container. Additionally this invention would prevent the introduction of an unwanted chemical compound in either tablet or encapsulated form, cigarette butts or other unwanted debris into an open unattended beverage container.

[0009] The invention is based on incorporation of the new integral component (Drawing #1, FIG. #1) to the currently designed disposable beverage container used for storage and dispensing of consumer beverages such as soft drinks, non-pulp fruit beverages, beer, etc. This new component, the invention (Drawing #1, FIG. #1), effectively provides a permanent shield over the container's dispensing port to prevent the entry of unwanted insects or foreign chemicals into the beverage container, but allows for the flow of liquid out of the beverage container. The invention will be manufactured with proportionally sized perforations and shapes and can be composed of the same material as the beverage container itself or a dissimilar material and will be permanently installed over the beverage container dispensing port (Drawing #2, FIG. #2). The invention will be permanently attached (Drawing #3, FIG. #3) to the beverage container through normal manufacturing processes such as argon laser welding, press fitting, adhesive, etc.

[0010] The invention will not interfere with the operation of the standard pull-tab opening mechanism that is in use today on a disposable beverage container (Drawing #3, FIG. #3).

[0011] The proportional perforations of the invention can be either of a circular, polygon, or slotted shape and various sizes and combinations may be employed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] Drawing #1, FIG. #1 shows a pictorial of the invention with circular shaped perforations.

[0013] Drawing #2, FIG. #2 depicts the invention, as it would appear on an opened beverage container.

[0014] Drawing #3 FIG. #3 depicts at what point of contact on the beverage container that the invention would be permanently attached to a beverage container.

[0015] Drawing #4, FIG. #4, depicts the appearance of the invention on an unopened beverage container.

[0016] Drawing #5 depicts three different beverage containers, FIG. #5—one unopened beverage container without the invention, FIG. #6—one opened beverage container without the invention, and FIG. #7—one opened beverage container with the invention installed. 

What is claimed is: 1 An invention with proportional sized perforations of various sizes that are either circular, polygon, or slotted in shape and that is permanently attached to a disposable beverage container over the dispensing port. 2 The invention of claim 1, can be designed with various numbers of perforations in any combination of shapes. 3 The invention of claim 1, can be permanently installed during the manufacturing process of the beverage container. 4 The invention of claim 1, will not add significant cost to the production of the disposable beverage container. 5 The invention of claim 1, can be composed of material that is either the same as the host beverage container or of a dissimilar material, or both. 6 The invention of claim 1, is non-removable from the disposable beverage container. 7 The invention of claim 1, will not interfere with the normal opening mechanism of the disposable beverage container. 8 The invention of claim 1, will have perforated openings that are of sufficiently small size to prevent the passage of insects, both flying and non-flying. 9 The invention of claim 1, will inhibit debris such as cigarette butts from being introduced into an open disposable beverage container. 10 The invention of claim 1, will inhibit dry chemical tablets or chemical capsules from being introduced into the beverage container. 11 The invention of claim 1, will not reduce the recycling characteristics of the disposable beverage container. 12 The invention of claim 1, will not add to any existing litter or disposable problems of the beverage container. 